Draw with idle spiders' ftrings
Moft pond'rous and fubftantial things!
Craft against vice I muft apply.
With Angelo to-night fhall lye
His old betrothed, but defpis'd;
So disguise fhall, by the difguis'd'
Pay with falfhood falfe exacting,
And perform an old contracting.

[Exit.

The fenfe is this, How much wickedness may a man hide within, tho' he appear an angel without. How may that likeness made in crimes, i. e. by hypocrify; [a pretty paradoxical expreffion, an angel made in crimes] by impofing upon the world [thus emphatically expreffed, making practice on the times] draw with its falfe and feeble pretences [finely called Spiders' ftrings] the most pondrous and fubftantial matters of the world, as riches, honour, power, reputation, &c. WARBURTON.

The Revifal reads thus,

-How may fuch likeness trade in crimes,
Making practice on the times,

To draw with idle spiders' ftrings
Most pond'rous and fubftantial things;

meaning by pond'rous and fubftantial things, pleafure and wealth

How may that likeness made in crimes,
Making practice of the times,

Draw b idle jpiders' strings

Moft pond'rous and fubftantial things?

STEEVENS.

i. e. How may the making it a practice of letting great rogues break through the laws with impunity; and hanging up little ones for the fame crimes; draw away in time with idle fpiders ftrings, (For no better do the cords of the law become, according to the old faying. Leges fimiles aranearum telis, to which the allufion is) justice and equity, the most ponderous and fubftantial bases, and pillars of government. When juftice on offenders is not done, law, government, and commerce are overthrown. SMITH.

5 So difguife fhall, by the difguis'd,] So difguife thall by means of a perfon difguiled, return an injurious demand with a counterfeit perJon. JOHNSON.

ACT

Mari. Break off thy fong, and hafte thee quick

away:

3 Take, ob, take, &c.] This is part of a little fong of Shakefpeare's own writing, confifting of two ftanzas, and fo extremely fweet, that the reader won't be difpleased to have the other.

Hide, ob, hide those bills of fnow,
Which thy frozen bofom bears,
On whofe tops, the pinks that grow,
Are of thofe that April wears.

But my poor heart first fet free,
Bound in thofe icy chains by thee.

WARBURTON.

This fong is entire in Beaumont's Bloody Brother, and in Shakefpeare's poems. The latter ftanza is omitted by Mariana, as not fuiting a female character. THEOBALD.

Tho' Sewell and Gildon have printed this among Shakespeare's poems, they have done the fame to fo many other pieces, of which the real authors are fince known, that their evidence is not to be depended on. It is not found in Jaggard's edition of his fonnets, which was printed during his life-time. STEEVENS.

Here

Here comes a man of comfort, whofe advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.-
I cry you mercy, fir; and well could wish,
You had not found me here fo mufical:
Let me excufe me, and believe me fo,

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe.+ Duke. 'Tis good; tho' mufick oft hath fuch a charm

To make bad, good; and good provoke to harm. I pray you, tell me, hath any body enquir'd for me here to day? much upon this time, have I promis'd her to meet.

Mari. You have not been enquir'd after: I have fat here all day.

Duke. I do conftantly believe you:

Enter Ifabel.

the time is come, even now. I fhall crave your forbearance a little; may be, I will call upon you anon for fome advantage to yourself.

Mari. I am always bound to you.
Duke. Very well met, and welcome.
What is the news from this good deputy?

[Exit.

Ifab. He hath a garden circummur'd with brick,“ Whose western fide is with a vineyard back'd; And to that vineyard is a planched gate,t That makes his opening with this bigger key: This other doth command a little door,

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe.] Though the mufick foothed my forrows, it had no tendency to produce light merriment. JOHNSON.

mind. JOHNSON.

-] Certainly; without fluctuation of

6 -circummur'd with brick,] Circummured, walled round. He caufed the doors to be mured and cafed up.

Painter's Palace of Pleasure.

JOHNSON.

-a planched gate,] i. e. a gate made of boards. Planche, Fr.

STEEVENS.

Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise to call on him
Upon the heavy middle of the night."

Duke. But fhall you on your knowledge find this way?

Ifab. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon't.
With whispering and moft guilty diligence,
In action all of precept," he did fhew me
The way twice o'er.

Duke. Are there no other tokens

Between you 'greed, concerning her obfervance ?
Ifab. No, none; but only a repair i' the dark;
And that I have poffefs'd him, my most stay
Can be but brief: for I have made him know,
I have a fervant comes with me along,
That ftays upon me; whofe perfuafion is,
I come about my brother.

Duke. 'Tis well born up.

I have not yet made known to Mariana

A word of this. What, ho! within! come forth!

Re-enter Mariana.

I pray you, be acquainted with this maid;
She comes to do you good.

Ifab. I do defire the like.

Duke. Do you perfuade yourself that I refpect you?

• There have I, &c.] In the old copy the lines fland thus, There have I made my promife, upon the

7 In action all of precept,

Heavy middle of the night, to call upon him. STEEVENS. -] i. e. fhewing the feveral turnings of the way with his hand; which action contained fo many precepts, being given for my direction.

I rather think we fhould read,

In precept all of action,-

WARBURTON.

that is, in direction given not by awards, but by mute figns. JOHNSON. I have poffefd him,-] I have made him clearly and strongly comprehend. JOHNSON.

Mari. Good friar, I know you do; and I have found it.

Duke. Take then this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear.

I fhall attend your leifure; but make hafte;
The vaporous night approaches.

Mari. Will't please you to walk afide?

[Exeunt Mar. and Ifab. Duke. O place and greatnefs,' millions of falfe

eyes

Are stuck upon thee! volumes of report
Run with thefe falfe and most contrarious quests
Upon thy doings! thoufand 'fcapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dreams,
And rack thee in their fancies!

O place and greatness,] It plainly appears, that this fine fpeech belongs to that which concludes the preceding fcene, between the Duke and Lucio. For they are abfolutely foreign to the fubject of this, and are the natural reflections arifing from that. Befides, the very words,

Run with thefe falfe and most contrarious quefts,

evidently refer to Lucio's fcandals juft preceding: which the Oxford editor, in his ufual way, has emended, by altering thefe to their. But that fome time might be given to the two women to confer together, the players, I fuppofe, took part of the fpeech, beginning at No might nor greatness, &c. and put it here, without troubling themselves about its pertinency. However, we are obliged to them for not giving us their own impertinency, as they have frequently done in other places. WARBURTON.

I cannot agree that thefe lines are placed here by the players. The fentiments are common, and fuch as a prince, given to reflection, must have often prefent. There was a neceffity to fill up the time in which the ladies converfe apart, and they must have quick tongues and ready apprehenfions, if they understood each other while this fpeech was uttered. JOHNSON.

2

-falfe eyes] That is, Eyes infidious and traiterous.

JOHNSON. -contrarious quefts] Different reports, running counter to each other. JOHNSON.

Re-enter